Program includes buffet breakfast, lunch and breaks, printed materials and, for those who attend Scott Hempling’s breakfast presentation, a copy of his book, “Preside or Lead? The Attributes and Actions of Effective Regulators.”

March 20, 2017, 8:00-9:30 am

Washington Briefing

The Pyle Center, Madison WI

Sponsored by Michael Best & Friedrich LLPHosted by the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute

Join Michael Best & Friedrich LLP for a special briefing from Washington D.C. about energy and environmental policy implementation within the new federal administration and Congress.

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in Madison WI is pleased to welcome two Michael Best Strategies Partners from its Washington, D.C., office for this unique opportunity. Denise Bode and Tom Schreibel will bring their experience and expertise to bear in this informative session. Following their presentation will be time for discussion about what the changes in EPA and DOE may mean for Wisconsin.

The presenters:

Denise Bode: Attorney and partner with Michael Best Strategies, former chair of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, former CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, and a former tax counsel to a member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Denise was also the CEO of the American Clean Skies Foundation where she worked with the wind, solar and natural gas industries and the environmental community to explore options for assembling a portfolio approach to address generation that can provide clean energy and air in a carbon-challenged environment.

Tom Schreibel: Partner with Michael Best Strategies. Prior to joining Strategies, Tom served as vice president of government and industry affairs at Sheehan Family Companies, a national beverage distribution company. There he developed and executed strategies surrounding the company’s business practices, managed tracking of relevant policy activity for 15 state legislatures and Washington, D.C., and managed relationships and communication with industry leaders, legislators, and elected officials.

Moderated by:

Eric Callisto: Partner with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. Eric is known for his extensive experience in energy and environmental matters, particularly the regulation of utilities at both the state and federal levels. Previously he served as chair of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, president of the Organization of MISO States (OMS), and was a member of the NARUC Board of Directors. He also served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute.

This program is hosted by the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute. WPUI is not responsible for the content of this program. Each presentation is the intellectual property of the listed author(s).

The Regulatory and Rates “Tango”(and how it turned into a tangle)0.6 CEUs

This program travels through history to understand the drivers and the outcomes of regulation and rates in Wisconsin, with a backdrop of what has happened nationally during the same period. We recognize how regulations often have translated into rate design and vice versa. We will also have a briefing on how cost of service has changed over time.

8:00-8:15 Registration check-in and welcome coffee

8:15-8:45The Foundations of Wisconsin’s RegulatoryRole – The availability of heat, light, and water service are central to modern life. For this reason, an individual, business, or local government that provides one of these services to the public is deemed a “public utility” and is subject to a system of state regulation designed to ensure availability of service and to protect the interests of consumers, public utilities, and their investors. Zach Ramirez, Staff Attorney, Wisconsin Legislative CouncilZach Ramirez presentation and Zach Ramirez memo and Zach Ramirez video

8:45-9:30 Regulatory Intent: From the First Oil Crisis Until Today – Surveying the last 40 years, this presentation looks at major state and federal regulatory developments, their principal drivers, and how states responded to and implemented federal energy policy changes.Nate Zolik, Attorney, Godfrey and KahnNate Zolik presentation and Nate Zolik video

9:30-10:15Utility Response to the “Tango” – Thrust into a new role, conserving their product, how did utility programs respond to new initiatives from the public and regulatory spheres of influence?

10:30-11:45 Economics and Engineering in a new Partnership: Cost of Service – Much has changed in cost of service modelling over the past 40 years as regulation and rates adjusted to new market conditions. Larry Vogt, Director of Rates, Mississippi PowerLarry Vogt Economics presentation

11:45-12:30Lunch

12:30-1:15 Minimum Distribution Charges –Minimum distribution charges have caught the attention of some regulators. What are they, and how can they help with cost/pricing issues in today’s market? Larry VogtLarry Vogt Minimum Distribution presentation

1:15-1:30 Break

1:30-2:30 Public Perception of the “Tango” — Presentation of program options that were designed to meet new regulatory guidelines. What was the public expectation to these changes? How did they perform? What were the roles of pilot programs and market incentives?

2:30-3:15 Challenge or Opportunity: It Started With Conservation and Now Includes Renewable Load Growth — How have regulators and utilities responded to revenue erosion? How successful have their responses been? How do these options fit with regulatory intent?Dan Hansen, Vice President, Christensen Associates Energy ConsultingDan Hansen presentation

3:15-3:30 Closing Comments

3:30 Adjourn

—————————————–

Note: The following programs have been designed as a series:

June 28, 2017 — The Regulatory and Rates “Tango”

July 21, 2017 — Regulatory Models, Version 2.0

Sept. 28, 2017 — Gas’s Pipeline to Sustainability

Oct. 26, 2017 — Powering a More Electric Economy

Registering for all four programs qualifies the registrant for a discounted registration fee. Registration for the series may be shared by up to four employees of the same organization. If you would like to inquire about this discounted fee, please email Sara at slangmack@wisc.edu.

This program examines Minnesota’s e21 Initiative for revising the social contract between regulators and the regulated. We will explore the use of performance-based regulation in both retail and wholesale markets, and we will look at different regulatory and business models that are being discussed in various states.

8:15-8:30 Registration check-in and welcome coffee

8:30-10:00Minnesota’s e21 Initiative — “The e21 Initiative aims to develop a more customer-centric and sustainable framework for utility regulation in Minnesota that better aligns how utilities earn revenue with public policy goals, new customer expectations, and the changing technology landscape. The initiative brings together key interests including utilities, consumer advocates, energy technology companies, other businesses, environmental and academic organizations, and government to accomplish this goal and enable Minnesota to continue to lead in shaping an electric system for the 21st century.” http://www.betterenergy.org/projects/e21-initiative Rolf Nordstrom, President and CEO, Great Plains Institute Nordstrom presentation

10:00-10:15Break

10:15-11:00New Working Partnerships – What does the regulatory model look like that enables and encourages this kind of collaboration?

“Cities across the globe are using technology to not only improve services and infrastructure for citizens, but also address urban challenges – like energy and water usage, traffic, and waste. They’re called smart cities – and Urbanova is one of the innovators in this movement, bringing together leaders in utility infrastructure, smart metering and communications, higher education, energy efficiency, population health, and urban planning to create a smart city technology proving ground in the heart of Spokane, Washington.”https://urbanova.org/#aboutCurt Kirkeby, Technology Strategist, Avista Utilities Kirkeby presentation

11:00-11:30Performance-based Regulation (PBR) from Telecom to the Energy Industry — Fifteen years ago, PBR, based on a telecom model, was kicked around as an option for the energy industry. However, this model failed in application to the energy industry. Now there is a resurgence of interest in this option. Why now, and what challenges lie ahead?Mark Meitzen, Vice President, Christensen Associates Energy Consulting Meitzen presentation

11:30-12:15PBR in Retail Markets, Urbanova-style – Performance-based regulation asks, “What value do we want out of our utility system, and what are we willing to pay for it?” In this session, we will review how PBR works and why it may be a workable model in the future for retail markets. Michael O’Boyle, Power Sector Transformation Expert, Energy Innovation O’Boyle presentation

12:15-1:00 Lunch

1:00-2:00 Compare and Contrast Other State Models

Questions that we will explore:

What are the underlying principles that you are using in addressing model change?

2:00-2:30 Models for Rural Communities– Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives serve rural communities. They are owned and governed by their members. Cooperative members are interested in renewable energy for their homes, farms and businesses. Learn about the policies, programs and projects that enable electric cooperatives of the Dairyland Power Cooperative system to respond to their members’ renewable energy interests and needs. Craig Harmes, Manager of Business Development, Dairyland Power Cooperative Harmes presentation

2:30-3:00 New Energy Initiatives in Wisconsin – Two new initiatives have been established to help grow the energy industry in Wisconsin. An overview of the recently completed “Supply Chain Opportunities in the Energy, Power, and Controls” report will be provided. This overview will include a brief demonstration of the Wisconsin Supply Chain Marketplace initiative. Furthermore, you will have an opportunity to learn more about the Wisconsin Biogas Council, including its development, goals, and future work.Matthew Christman, Coordinator, Wisconsin Biogas Council

3:00-3:30 Understanding and Observing the True Nature of Destructive Competition: Analogies and implications for the electric utility industry – At the outset, the products and services that will eventually disrupt a market are nearly always inferior to those offered by incumbents. But assuming that today’s inferior products cannot evolve is what allows disruptive competition to firmly take hold over time. As customer preferences shift and the products and services improve, the impact of the disruptors can ultimately be devastating for incumbent firms. Tracing the history of disruptive competition in other industries allows us to gain better insight as to the real long-run threats of competitive alternatives to grid service.Steve Kihm, Principal and Chief Economist, Seventhwave

3:30 Adjourn

—————————————–

Note: The following programs have been designed as a series:

June 28, 2017 — The Regulatory and Rates “Tango”

July 21, 2017 — Regulatory Models, Version 2.0

Sept. 28, 2017 — Gas’s Pipeline to Sustainability

Oct. 26, 2017 — Powering a More Electric Economy

Registering for all four programs qualifies the registrant for a discounted registration fee. Registration for the series may be shared by up to four employees of the same organization. If you would like to inquire about this discounted fee, please email Sara at slangmack@wisc.edu.

The Organization of MISO States (OMS) is leading the discussion of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) within the MISO footprint. The amount of distributed resources is increasing for a wide variety of reasons and has the potential to impact state-jurisdictional utilities and the MISO transmission system and wholesale markets. State regulators are uniquely situated to facilitate the exchange of information between MISO, the utilities, and the broader stakeholder community to develop policy on this issue. The workshop is intended to gather information, share ideas, and ensure any changes occur in an efficient and reliable manner.

Please join us for a Welcome ReceptionMon. July 31, 2017, 5:30-7:00pm, in the Atrium of the Wisconsin Energy Institute.This reception is open to all who register for this program.Look for the invitation during the program registration process and indicate whether you will attend.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

A note about transportation: UW-Madison is a very busy place in the summer. In particular, thousands of incoming freshman, transfer students and foreign professional students visit to tour campus. As a result, parking is at a premium; indeed, it is very likely that there will be no parking available in the UW ramps/lots near the Mechanical Engineering building.

If you are staying in a hotel, we recommend that you use the hotel’s shuttle service or call a cab/Uber. There is also the Madison Metro bus system which your hotel should be able to help you navigate.

If you are considering driving from home/office to campus, we suggest that you park away from campus and plan to take a cab/Uber, a Madison Metro bus or even bike!

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Wisconsin Energy Institute

Monday July 31

5:30 – 7:00pm

Welcome Reception hosted by OMS in the Atrium of the WEI building

1552 University Ave | Appetizers will be served | All registrants are welcome!

Technological advances and customer preferences are increasing the use of distributed energy resources. DER is most often connected to the distribution system but, in greater numbers, can impact regional transmission planning, operations and markets. This workshop will explore the issues, concerns, and opportunities of DER at the intersection of state-jurisdictionally-connected resources that must be accounted for by federally-regulated RTOs.

9:00 – 10:15 Panel 1: RTO Perspectives

Moderator: Chair Daniel Hall (MO)Panelists:

Todd Ramey, VP of System Operations – MISO

Cheryl Mele, COO – ERCOT

Andrew Levitt, Senior Market Strategist – PJM

Jeff Billinton, Manager of Transmission Planning – CAISO

RTOs have broad responsibility in the areas of reliability, transmission planning, and ensuring efficient wholesale markets. The type and location of distributed resources can impact all of these areas, but are squarely within the purview of state regulators and local utilities. Proper planning at both the distribution and transmission-level will require appropriate sharing of information between the two. This panel will address the policies and structures that will be needed to accommodate greater amounts of local DER at the regional level while respecting the jurisdictional boundaries of all entities involved.

10:15 – 10:30 Break

10:30 – 11:45 Panel 2: Utility Perspectives

Moderator: Comm. Mike Huebsch (WI)Panelists:

Chris Foley, Director of Energy Policy – ComEd

Joe McGovern, Director of Electrical Engineering – Alliant

Andrew Owens, Director of Regulatory Research – Entergy

Tim Noeldner, Vice President, Rates and Special Projects – WPPI

Increasing of smaller, distributed resources on local distributions systems is changing the way utilities plan for the future. Regardless of whether the change is occurring for regulatory compliance or the need to maintain reliable operations, utilities are adapting in a multitude of ways to the changing landscape. This panel will investigate the approach that each of these utilities is taking to adapt and how they are working with their regulator and RTO to reliably and efficiently integrate these resources at the regional level.

Rapid advancements in performance, communications, and declining costs have combined to make distributed resources more efficient, reliable, and cost effective. Although adoption rates vary, if these trends continue, what impacts and opportunities can be expected in the future? This panel investigates a wide variety of technologies and the factors that impact their deployment and performance on both the distribution and bulk electric system levels.

2:00 – 3:00 Panel 4: Customer Perspectives

Moderator: Comm. Nick Wagner (IA)Panelists:

Tyler Huebner, Executive Director – Renew Wisconsin

Greg Geller, Director of Regulatory Affairs – EnerNOC

Amy Heart, Director of Public Policy – SunRun

Jeff Rich, Executive Director, GL Envision – Gundersen Health System

Independent actions and the expectations of customers are increasingly shaping the utility business model. In most instances, a utility’s rate structure or other Commission policies can have a large impact. More than ever, utilities are working together with their customers to create and implement new approaches. This panel will examine the impacts of retail and wholesale policies on customer decisions that impact the deployment of DER.

3:00 – 3:15 Break

3:15 – 4:30 Panel 5: Policy Perspectives

Moderator: Chair Ted Thomas (AR)Panelists:

Suedeen Kelly, Partner – Jenner & Block LLP

Sally Talberg, Chairman – Michigan PSC

Mike Bull, Director of Policy – CEE

Greater implementation of DER and the impact on the utility business model is forcing an examination of existing state and federal policies. The overlapping jurisdictional framework between states — retail rate structures, PURPA avoided cost determinations, and resource adequacy — and federal entities — regional transmission planning and operations and wholesale markets — complicates this process. This panel will investigate how to establish appropriate policies to govern the reliable and efficient integration of DERs within this jurisdictional framework.

4:30 Adjourn

Included in your registration fee: the Monday 7/31/17 evening reception, breaks and lunch during the program, and access to materials electronically.

To confirm whether your organization is a member of WPUI, please see our membership page.

This workshop is a program of the Organization of MISO States.It is co-hosted by the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute (WPUI) and the Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI).WPUI and WEI are not responsible for the content of this program.

If done properly, gas can be a trusted bridge to help us move to a more integrated and cleaner energy platform. Or it could become a gangplank to continuing a carbon-based energy portfolio. In this session, will will look at what the future holds for gas markets. We will then discuss how gas can become the backbone to a competitive, sustainable, clean energy future.

8:15-8:30 Registration check-in and welcome coffee

8:30-10:00Update on Gas Markets — A review of gas supply availability, pipeline capacity and gas flows into the state of Wisconsin, both today and in the future, as well as potential cost impacts and price drivers.Valerie Wood, President and CEO, Energy Solutions Valerie Wood’s Presentation

10:00-10:15 Break

10:15-11:00 Geologic Supply and the Environmental Profile of Gas — What are the geology constraints of gas? Is there really a glut of natural gas? Alan Carroll, Professor, Geoscience, UW-Madison Alan Carroll Presentation

11:00-11:30 The State of the Natural Gas Market – Public policy implications for the natural gas market. Kyle Isakower, Vice President for Regulatory and Economic Policy, American Petroleum Institute Kyle Isakower Presentation

11:30-12:15 Lunch

12:15-12:45Wisconsin’s Gas Network: Is it time to change our gas pipeline? How fast can gas plants ramp up with current technology? Why are the uncoordinated timings of market networking causing micro and macro problems? How do system constraints affect gas markets?Jeff Hicken, Manager Gas Trading and Dispatch, Alliant Energy Jeff Hicken Presentation

12:45-1:15 Dispatching Gas with an Optimization Approach –This presents research conducted at the University of Wisconsin to tackle the problem of stranded power, power that does not have a market and how to improve gas dispatch with coordinating gas and electric markets.Victor Zavala, Assistant Professor, College of Engineering, UW-Madison Victor Zavala Presentation

1:15-1:30 Break

1:30-2:30 CHP Technologies, Interconnection Practices, and Efficiency Opportunities — Discussion of the new CHP systems being developed by a variety of manufacturers and of an analysis GTI performed regarding the barriers to the expanded deployment of CHP. Additionally, new technologies and practices for natural gas efficiency will be explored. Daniel LeFevers, Senior Program Manager, Gas Technology Institute Dan LeFevers Presentation